Chapter summary: Faith is shown through action (James 2:26)!

Verses 1-3

Main point: Faith is hearing and believing the Word.
Faith is so great because it is the persuasion of a truth without the need to see visible proof of it.
- The tangible universe was created through the intangible Word of God (Genesis 1:3). We did not see this event, but we know it happened. God's Word is that powerful, so it is all the proof we should ever need. We should only need to hear the Word of God in order to have faith (Matthew 8:8,10). Why?
- Faith is based upon the conviction that God is trustworthy. And if we trust Him, we will believe everything He says.
  - If you trust in God, trust His Word without doubting it, and you will have the beginning of what faith truly is.
Though it is intangible, faith itself is substance. It is evidence. Faith doesn't need proof, because it is itself the proof. How could this be?
- For someone who believes, the miracle has already taken place in their heart. Their own conviction is all the evidence they need. They don't need to see proof, because the proof is within them. As it is written, “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself” (1 John 5:10).
- And therefore, they see what they believed for, because they didn't need to see in order to believe in the first place. As it is written, “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

Verse 4

Main point: Faith is sacrifice.
Abel's faith, in this case, was shown by the fact that he sacrificed the best of his flock to God, as a burnt offering (Genesis 4:4).
- A true sacrifice is when you let go of something valuable—something that costs you (2 Samuel 24:24). This kind of action shows faith because it's trusting that God will take care of you even when you lose something valuable. This is an excellent sacrifice.
  - Sacrifice your body to God by obeying Him even though it can be uncomfortable (Romans 12:1).
  - Sacrifice to God by thanking and praising Him at all times, and especially when you don't feel like it (Hebrews 13:15).
  - Sacrifice to God by giving your resources for the service of others, sharing what you have (Hebrews 13:16).
    - All these things will cost you what your flesh prefers, which makes them excellent sacrifices that will please God.
“...through it he being dead still speaks” - If you live by faith, the impact of your life will continue to speak and influence people well beyond your death. This is legacy. Learn to walk like Christ, and your will have a powerful influence for God's glory.

Verses 5-6

Main point: Faith is diligently pursuing relationship with God.
Enoch was one of a few people that were taken by God into the kingdom and granted immortality without dying first. Enoch, Melchizedek, and Elijah all experienced this.
- Enoch, in particular, was taken because “he pleased God” and because, as Genesis 5:24 states, he “walked with God”. His faith, which was pleasing to God was shown by his diligent pursuit of a close relationship with God. As a result, God took him to heaven.
  - The closer with God we become, the closer to the kingdom we will be.
- This is, in essence, a life of faith—pursuing a God that you cannot physically see.
In order to please God at all, we must have the belief that if we diligently seek God, He will reward us with intimacy with Him. You have to believe that seeking Him will lead to results!
- If you truly believe that you can be close with God, you will seek Him with your whole heart every day and without backing down. Focus on pursuing closeness with God, and doing do diligently.

Verse 7

Main point: Faith is heeding warnings, in the fear of God, and obeying.
Noah labored for 100 years to build an ark that would protect him and his family from a flood, even though it had never rained before. It seemed totally illogical, but he did it because he feared God and believed His Word.
The Bible contains many warnings about God's judgment. Judgment is real, and it will come to all.
- If you believe this, obey by learning the Bible and building your life around it. Turn away from sin. These actions show faith.

Verse 8

Main point: Faith is obedience even when you don't understand.
Abraham showed his faith by obey God to leave his country. He didn't know where he was going, but he happened to end up exactly where God wanted him, which was in the land of Canaan.
You don't need to understand the reason for God's commands in order to have faith to obey them. As it is written, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
- Obey the Word, and know that you will end up exactly where you are meant to be. Trust God's guidance!

Verses 9-10

Main point: Faith is abandoning the comforts of the world.
Also, Abraham showed his faith abandoning the comfort of his hometown in order to live as a nomad and foreigner in the world.
- You also, abandon the sinful pleasures of the world, and be content with feeling like a foreigner compared to the unbelievers around you. Don't seek to be comfortable in the world. Seek to be Christ-like. You are living for the city to come—the kingdom of heaven—not for this present world.

Verses 11-12

Main point: Faith is trusting that God is faithful.
Sarah conceived and gave birth to Isaac not because she believed that she was able, but because she trusted that God was able.
- Put your faith in God, not in yourself. You don't have the ability in yourself, nor do you need to. God is able, and that's all that matters.
  - If you believe that God has the faith and power to keep His word, then you will also receive strength!

Verses 13-16

Main points: Faith is patient. It waits for the kingdom of heaven.
Again, reemphasizing the fact that faith-filled people are foreigners in this world, we are reminded that our pursuit must be the kingdom of heaven, and that we must wait patiently for it.
- The saints of old, especially Abraham, did not see the fulfillment of God's promise in their earthly lives. Because they were patient, they were willing to wait for God's promises to be totally fulfilled in the kingdom of heaven.
We won't receive fulfillment for all of God's promises in this life. We are groaning for the life to come (Romans 8:23). Therefore, be patient with the hardships of this life. It will all be worth it in the end.
And to make sure that you stay focused on the kingdom, do not “call to mind” your old life of sin. If you reminisce of sin, you will be tempted to return to sin. Keep your mind set on the Word.

Verses 17-19

Main point: Faith doesn't need to make sense. It knows that all things are possible.
Isaac was indeed the promised son, but Abraham was still willing to sacrifice him. Why? He concluded that God would raise Him from the dead. In his mind, because he truly believed it, the miracle had already happened.
- Understand that God will always keep His Word. No matter what God asks of us, even if obedience doesn't make sense, His Word will come to pass by any means necessary. Believe this, and obey no matter what.

Verses 20-22

Main point: Faith trusts God's will, and expects the future that God has promised.
Isaac was blind when he blessed Jacob, and he thought he was blessing Esau (Genesis 27:1,21-29). Because he was blind, he had to trust that he was blessing the right person. In the end, what Isaac saw as his mistake was actually a fulfillment of God's will.
Jacob and Joseph, in particular, blessed their families and gave instructions with an expectation of the future that God had in store. They really believed in God's plan! They received prophecy, and because they believed it, they spoke it (Romans 12:6).
- God's will and His Word are always done. Trust this, and be confident to speak His Word!

Verse 23

Main point: Faith does not fear man.
Pharaoh had commanded that all baby boys of the Hebrews be killed, but when Moses was born, his parents disobeyed Pharaoh, kept the boy alive, and at risk of their own lives.
- If you believe in God, do not fear the threats of man; and always obey God no matter how people might react (Acts 5:29).

Verses 24-26

Main point: Faith chooses suffering over pleasure, in order to be with Christ and His people.
There are no allowances for most known pleasures for the people who align with God's kingdom; and this is because the world's pleasures are sinful, while we are called to holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7).
If your love is truly set upon Christ and His kingdom, and the immeasurable worth therein, you will gladly choose suffering in this life in order to obtain the reward of eternal life with Christ.
- Desire to be with Christ and fellow believers, and always prefer the discomfort of obedience rather than the pleasure of sin. This shows that you truly have your faith in Christ.
  - It is a lot easier to suffer if you are suffering alongside the people of God. Stay close with believers, and this will make your struggles easier to overcome.

Verses 27-28

Main point: Faith sees God as more real than any natural threat.
Even though God is invisible, Moses saw Him in that he was more convinced of God's presence than he was of anything else around him. It didn't matter what Pharaoh threatened him with. God was far more powerful and more significant than Pharaoh.
- Therefore he did not fear Pharaoh's anger, since he knew that God's judgment was greater (Matthew 10:28). And knowing what God's judgment would be if he disobeyed, he obeyed faithfully.
In all circumstances, be more mindful of God than you are of anything else. Consider what He thinks about your actions first, and do all to honor and obey Him.

Verse 29

Main point: Faith believes that God will save His people and bring them triumph by any means necessary.
The sea standing up as parallel walls to create a path of dry land to cross...such is an impossible event. But the Israelites trusted that God would bring them all across the sea, and so they lived, while the Egyptians perished.

Verse 30

Main point: Faith persists in action.
The Israelites exerted themselves to assemble and march around the whole cit every day for seven days. In this persistence they showed faith. And by this faith the walls of Jericho fell.
- No matter how many days it takes, persist in obedience! If you can't be consistent over time, you will not be walking in great faith.

Verse 31

Main point: Faith saves sinners.
Rahab was a well-known prostitute, but she was saved when she professed faith in God and protected the Israelite spies at the risk of her own life. In her actions, she showed her faith and fear of God's judgment, and this saved her (James 2:25).
No matter how much sin a person comes from, if they fear God and choose to obey the gospel, they will be saved!
- Show your belief in God by repenting of your sin today, and follow His Word.

Verses 32-34

Main point: Faith accomplishes great tasks—everything from holy living to defying the laws of physics. Anything you can imagine is possible with faith, and the stories of the Bible prove this.
The common element is action! There is no example of faith in Hebrews 11 saying that faith is the mere claim to belief in Christ. No, faith, when it is real, takes actionevery time!
- Note that belief and faith are two different forms of the same thing. Your belief (Greek word pisteuo) is the internal trust you have in God. Whereas, faith (Greek word pistis) is the outworking action that a person takes in response to their belief. Belief drives your action, and your action activates your faith. And the more action that you take, the more your faith grows.
  - So James 2:18 says, “I will show you my faith by my works.”

Verses 35-38

Main point: Faith endures persecution and torture.
While some experience faith in the form of great miracles, others experience it in the power to endure great suffering—even torturous persecution—without giving up.
In either case, show your faith by always taking action on what you hear in the Word and by being willing to suffer through anything for the sake of obedience to God.
- In the end, know that your endurance will be greatly rewarded.

Verses 39-40

All the saints of the Old Testament share a common faith with us. And they were justified by their faith just as we are.
But, in the Old Testament, they could could not see a complete fulfillment of what they hoped for until Christ came. Apart from Christ and His church, there is nothing perfect.